Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-06-11
LETTER FROM WICHITA.

y
sion OF more than mile in length
IN carriages, wagons and every pos
sible kind of vehicle including the
street cars, with the military, the
Grand Army and Sons of Veterans
on foot carrying the old flag. All
the teams are decorated with bunt-
ing as well as the business houses,
which have been closed during the
decoration services. A great many
Old soldiers are found here, quite a
large number were in line. Some
how or other people don't do any
thing here by halves-every body
pulls together and that makes things
go.
The most delightful weather has
prevailed here all Spring, the tenn
perature is about the same as at
Martinsburg, but less damp. We
have had magnificent rains every
few days, which is insuring the most
bountlful crops throughout the whole
state, and our farmers are cheerful
over the prospect. All through the
state where once was one broad
prairie, with no shrub to indicate a
timber growth, may now be seen
cosy farm houses surrounded by a
nice grove of five to ten years.
growth: so rapidly does timber
grow in this soil. Since my last
letter l have passed through the
western part of the state, and climb
ed the mountains in Kansas, for
some are here, and for miles could
see stretching out before me rolling
land covered with beautiful green
grass and herds of cattle, with water
courses in nearly every valley, shad-
ed with native timber. This part of
the state will especially please the
West Virglnian, it reminds him of
the hills and valleys and babbling
brooks of home, and furnishes the
tangle wood and shade trees that he
naturally longs for. Look about
YOU where you will in the state and
Wichita, the "Magical Mascott,"
iE the hub about which everything
else revolves; all the towns in adj
vertisinG their location and adyan-
tages put themselves down next to
Wichita. They all concede her the
fist place, and well they may, for
since she began to grow and spread
some 5 or 6 years ago, her business
Industries have gone steadily for
ward with about once a year a real
estate boom to stir every energy.
One day last week the writer in
company with some friends climbed
up to the top OF Carrey's six story
Hotel, most magnificent structure,
and all around us spread out one
vast garden of green trees, shading
the streets of more than sixteen
thousand acres of land, while for
three miles on either side the new
roofs of newly finished buildings
could be- seen through the tree tops !;
and this building boom has been go
ing on ever since the weather would
permit, with no prospect of abate-
ment. 1t is estimated that 5000
buildings have been erected in the
last IL months, and still wherever
you find grove along the river,
you will see tents spread and mum.
bers of families waiting for more
commodious quarters, while the
fats, boarding houses and even pri-
vate residences are full to overflow.
ing; and this is mostly permanent
occupants, as the transient people
are at home during this season of
the year.
There is now being discussed here
scheme that seems to be not only
practical but one full of business and
big with interest for not only
Wichita, but all the Middle and
Easiest states, involving the future
destiny of the great trunk railway
lines of all the EASTERN system of
roads. The Great Santa Fe Sys-
TEN, corporation of almost bound
less resources, has built a perfect
net work of railway through the
whole West and is still spreading
its wings, has now line of ocean
steamers in the Gulf, and the other
great Western trunk lines are work.
ing to the same end and soon Gal.
weston, Texas, will be the great sea
port of the South, where the sea
going vessels Of the railway lines
will unload their freights from the
Eastern ports, and the Eastern
freight will get within 500 miles
of Wichita by water in less time
than they now come by rail dis.
lance of 1900 miles, and instead of
the b. s. 0. and Pen. Central carrying
to Chicago and turning over their
freight to the Western systems,
these Western systems will load at
New York and Baltimore, and lay
1t down all over the West. When
this comes to pass Wichita becomes
Chicago as distributing depot
Now it is not hard to see that this
must seriously effect all the Eastern
roads by cutting off their through
freights, and then shall West Va.
come in for her share of attention,
and the timber, coal and minerals OF
the mountain state will claim the
attention of these roads, which must
bend their energies to the develop
ment of local trade and traffic going
North and South. 1t will also work
a revolution in the relation existing
between the business men of the
North, East and Southeast. This
will not appear dream or fancy il
one will take the map and measure
the distances, consider the Difficult.
ties of building and maintaining
roads from East to West, and the
great difference in the cost of trans
portation by rail and water, and
what is still of greater Importance
the selfish interest and monied
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